CHAGUARAMAS NEWS International Coastal Clean Up 2004
On Saturday 18th September, 2004 the International Coastal Cleanup 2004 hosted simultaneous coastal cleanups in some fifty (50) countries. In Trinidad and Tobago the launch and cleanup was held on Chagville Beach. The Chaguaramas Development Authority is a member of the National Planning Committee for these efforts, which is extended this year to include areas such as Mayaro, Matelot, Salybia, Matura River, Las Cuevas, Tyrico (East Maracas), and in Tobago Buccoo Reef and Plymouth.
From the Planning Committee Ms. Susan Shurland-Maraj and Ms. Michelle Forde were chosen to act as coordinators for the Launch and cleanup of the Chagville Beach. Letters were sent to organizations selected by the Planning Committee to adopt -a-beach; Prestige Holdings Limited was selected for Chagville Beach because of the prevalence of their packages in the shoreline. A list was compiled detailing the items needed for each beach and Prestige replied in donating the following :
(300) garbage bags
(300) rubber gloves
(50) fifty clip boards
(50) fifty pencils
The Desalination Company of Trinidad and Tobago donated five (5) cases of water.
Minister Of Public Utilities & Environment, the Honorable Penelope Beckles, addresses the participants of beach clean up exercise.
The launch started at 7:30 a.m. with the Minister of the Public Utilities and Environment, the Honorable Penelope Beckles, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Earl Nesbitt and the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Management Authority, Dr. Dave Mc Intosh, Ms. Hazel Mc Shine Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Marine Affairs, together with representative from the Girl Guides Association, the Brownies Association, Protectors of the Environment – Lopinot, CEPEP, Solid Waste Management Company Limited, Yachting Services of Trinidad and Tobago, Carenage Releaf Group, and members of the general public.
At the start of the launch Ms. Susan Shurland Maraj gave a brief introduction of the group and its mission in the data collection process and Ms. Michelle Forde informed the group of what is required in the completion of the data collection forms.
At the end of the exercise sixty–eight (68) bags of garbage were collected, the Minister, Permanent Secretary, CEO of EMA, CEO of IMA and the Vice President of the Carenage Releaf Group made brief comments on the morning’s events. The CDA’s trailer collected the garbage bags and deposited them in the big dumpster on the western end of Chagville Beach with the assistance of Mr. Michael Forde – Property Department, Ms. Linda Ryan-Wilson from the Girl Guides Association, Francis Ayoung and Kenneth Walker both of the Property Department.
The next cleanup location for the International Coastal Cleanup campaign was scheduled for Mayaro Beach on Saturday 25th September, 2004.
by Michelle Forde (Marketing Department)
20th
September, 2004
Members of the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD)
Sixty-eight (68) Bags of Garbage were collected
Even the youngsters did their part